Synthetic cathinones are lab-made stimulant drugs related to cathinone, a natural stimulant in the khat plant. Sold as “bath salts,” “flakka” or “plant food,” they act like amphetamines and cocaine but can be far stronger. They can cause extreme agitation, psychosis, dangerous overheating and death.
Call 911 if someone who used bath salts is extremely agitated or confused, very hot to the touch, having chest pain or a seizure, or is a danger to themselves or others. For a mental health or suicide crisis, call or text 988.
Call (561) 340-7269 to talk with our admissions team.
What Are Synthetic Cathinones?
Synthetic cathinones are “designer drugs,” also called new psychoactive substances. They’re made in labs to copy the effects of illegal stimulants, then changed again and again to stay ahead of drug laws (NIDA).
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They’re chemical cousins of cathinone, a natural stimulant in the leaves of the khat plant. People in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have long chewed khat leaves for a mild energy boost. Natural cathinone is similar to amphetamine but weaker, while lab-made versions can be much stronger.
There are dozens of synthetic cathinones. Well-known examples include:
- Mephedrone (4-MMC)
- Methylone
- MDPV (3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone)
- Alpha-PVP, better known as flakka
Despite the name, bath salts aren’t bath products. They’re sold in small packets labeled as bath salts, plant food, jewelry cleaner or phone screen cleaner, often marked “not for human consumption” to get around drug laws (NIDA). They’re also different from synthetic cannabinoids like K2 and Spice, which copy marijuana instead of stimulants.
Street Names for Bath Salts and Flakka
| Drug | Common names |
|---|---|
| Synthetic cathinones in general | Bath salts, plant food, jewelry cleaner, legal highs |
| Packet brand names | Bliss, Ivory Wave, White Lightning, Vanilla Sky, Cloud Nine, Blue Silk, Energy-1 |
| Alpha-PVP | Flakka, gravel |
| Mephedrone | Meow meow, M-Cat, drone |
Synthetic cathinones are also sold as, or mixed into, “Molly,” a street name for MDMA. People who think they’re taking MDMA (ecstasy) may be taking bath salts without knowing it (NIDA).
What Do Bath Salts Look Like, and How Are They Used?
Synthetic cathinones usually come as a white, off-white or brown powder or small crystals. Flakka often looks like pink or white crystals that resemble aquarium gravel. They may also be sold as capsules or tablets.
People use them by:
- Snorting
- Swallowing
- Smoking or vaping
- Injecting, which is the most dangerous
When snorted, effects usually start within 10 to 20 minutes and peak in about 45 to 90 minutes. As the high fades, many people take more, sometimes over and over in a binge. That raises the risk of overdose.
How Synthetic Cathinones Affect the Brain
Like other stimulants, synthetic cathinones flood the brain with dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, chemicals that control pleasure, energy, alertness and mood. Some work like cocaine, stopping the brain from clearing these chemicals. Others work more like amphetamines, pushing more of them out.
MDPV is one of the most common. A study found it to be at least 10 times more powerful than cocaine (NIDA).
This surge of dopamine drives both the intense high and the urge to keep using. It also puts heavy strain on the heart and body.
Effects of Bath Salts
People use synthetic cathinones for a high that can include:
- Euphoria
- More energy and alertness
- Feeling talkative and social
- Increased sex drive
- Less appetite
Unwanted effects are common, even at lower doses (clinical review):
- Agitation, anxiety and panic
- Paranoia and hallucinations
- Fast heart rate and high blood pressure
- Overheating and heavy sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Teeth grinding and jaw clenching
- Dilated pupils and blurred vision
- Trouble sleeping
With higher doses or repeated use, the effects can become life-threatening:
- Psychosis, with hallucinations, paranoia and delusions
- Extreme agitation and violent, unpredictable behavior
- Seizures
- Dangerously high body temperature
- Breakdown of muscle tissue (rhabdomyolysis)
- Kidney and liver failure
- Heart rhythm problems, heart attack and inflammation of the heart muscle
- Death
Deaths have been linked to several synthetic cathinones, including mephedrone and MDPV. Florida saw a wave of flakka-related emergencies and deaths around 2014 and 2015.
Bath Salts Emergencies: Warning Signs and What to Do
A bath salts emergency can build fast. Call 911 if someone shows any of these signs:
- Extreme agitation, confusion or violent behavior
- Very high body temperature or hot, flushed skin
- Chest pain or a racing or irregular heartbeat
- Seizures
- Severe paranoia or hallucinations
- Muscle pain with dark, tea- or cola-colored urine
- Fainting or not responding
- Talk of suicide or self-harm (call or text 988, or 911 if they’re in immediate danger)
While you wait for help:
- Keep yourself safe. If the person is violent, step back and give them space. Don’t try to hold them down, which can be dangerous for both of you.
- Tell the 911 dispatcher what was taken, if you know. Save any packaging.
- Keep things calm. If you can do it safely, move the person to a quiet, dim, cool place. Speak slowly and simply.
- Help cool them down. Remove extra clothing and use cool, wet cloths.
- If they have a seizure, move hard objects away and don’t put anything in their mouth.
- If they pass out but are breathing, roll them onto their side.
At the hospital, care usually focuses on cooling the body, giving IV fluids, using medicine to calm severe agitation and prevent seizures, and checking the heart, kidneys and muscles.
Are Bath Salts Addictive?
Yes, synthetic cathinones carry a strong risk of addiction. Studies in people and animals show that they cause tolerance and cravings, and animals given access will keep taking them (NIDA). In one UK survey of 100 people who used mephedrone, about 30% met criteria for dependence (survey).
When someone stops after heavy use, withdrawal can include:
- Depression and low mood
- Anxiety
- Exhaustion
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Strong cravings
Depression during withdrawal can be severe. If you or someone you love has thoughts of suicide, call or text 988. Read more about bath salt addiction and bath salt withdrawal and detox.
Long-term effects are still being studied. Animal research suggests bath salts may affect the brain in ways similar to amphetamines, including harm to serotonin nerve cells.
Are Synthetic Cathinones Illegal?
Many are. The Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 placed mephedrone and MDPV in Schedule I, and the DEA has since controlled many others, including methylone and alpha-PVP.
The Federal Analogue Act can also treat close chemical cousins meant for human use like Schedule I drugs. Florida law bans many synthetic cathinones as well.
Makers keep changing formulas to get around these laws. A label like “not for human consumption” doesn’t make a product legal or safe. This section is general information, not legal advice.
Treatment for Synthetic Cathinone Addiction
There are no FDA-approved medicines to treat addiction to synthetic cathinones or other stimulants. Treatment focuses on safety, mental health and behavioral therapy.
At The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health, our Lake Worth campus treats adults 18 and older. Care can include:
- Medical detox
- Intensive inpatient and residential treatment
- Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- An intensive outpatient program (IOP) as a step-down level of care
- Aftercare planning
Bath salts can cause psychosis, depression and anxiety, so our dual diagnosis treatment treats substance use and mental health together. Therapies may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), individual and group therapy, and family education.
The care team sets the length of stay based on each person’s needs. Learn more about bath salts addiction treatment, or call (561) 340-7269 to talk with our admissions team. Check your insurance benefits.
Synthetic Cathinones FAQ
Why are they called bath salts?
The name comes from how they were first sold. Makers packaged synthetic cathinones as “bath salts” and other household products, labeled “not for human consumption,” to avoid drug laws.
The powder can look a bit like Epsom salts. Real bath salts you use in the tub don’t contain these drugs and are safe when used as intended.
Is flakka the same as bath salts?
Flakka is one type of bath salt. Its main chemical is alpha-PVP, a synthetic cathinone closely related to MDPV.
Flakka is known for causing extreme agitation, paranoia, overheating and violent behavior, even at small doses. It’s sometimes called “gravel” because of its crystal form.
Do bath salts show up on a drug test?
Most standard drug tests don’t look for synthetic cathinones, so they often go undetected. Specialized lab tests can find many of these chemicals, and some employers, courts and hospitals order them.
Because makers keep creating new versions, no single test catches them all. Not showing up on a test doesn’t make bath salts any safer.
What is cathinone?
Cathinone is a natural stimulant found in the leaves of the khat plant, which grows in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Chewing khat gives a mild, amphetamine-like lift.
Synthetic cathinones are lab-made versions of this chemical that can be many times stronger. Cathinone and many synthetic cathinones are controlled substances in the U.S..
Are bath salts the same as meth?
No, but they’re related. Synthetic cathinones and methamphetamine are both stimulants from the same broad chemical family, and they share effects such as euphoria, energy, paranoia and a racing heart.
Bath salts are often less predictable because the chemicals and strength vary from packet to packet. Both can lead to addiction and life-threatening overdose.
Can bath salts cause permanent damage?
They can. Severe overheating, muscle breakdown and kidney failure from an overdose can leave lasting organ damage.
Some people have ongoing paranoia or psychosis after heavy use. Researchers are still learning about long-term effects on the brain, but animal studies suggest possible harm to serotonin nerve cells, similar to amphetamines.
